| Overall Grade: |
D+ |
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| Story: |
D+ |
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| Acting: |
C+ |
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| Direction: |
D |
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|
| Visuals: |
B |
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A remake that didn't need to be remade
by Barry (movies profile)
Dec 16, 2007
48
of
76 people found this review helpful
A disastrous retelling of the creepy and controversial 1975 classic (forget about it even being close to representing the original Ira Levin novel). Much like the husbands of the updated town of Stepford, who romp around their elite men's club playing with video games and having toy robot wars, Hollywood just can't get away from playing with their own gadgets and toys. So wrapped up in silly puns and unimaginative visual gags, director Frank Oz has blown the chance to update the social commentary of the original film. Instead, he and his filmmakers give in to their boyhood wills and turn STEPFORD WIVES into a CGI fantasy, replete with fembots whose boobs grow with the flip of a remote button. Wow! Okay, so not every film has to be ripe with important discussion, but if you're going to do a remake of one of Hollywood's premiere pro-feminist films -- at least give it a try. True, the war between the sexes has long been settled (or at least settled down some), but now the women have moved into the work force and have given the alpha males something to be threatened by, once again. Why not draw on that? Why not explore how men feel about their wives (or other women) overtaking them? We've gone from Betty Crocker to Martha Stewart; from breadwinner to house-husband; from housewife to boss; from Billy Jean vs. Bobby to pro wrestling's battle of the sexes. Through all of this, the only commentary this film can muster up is that -- boys will be boys, and all they want is toys. |
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